Written Answers Friday 18 August 2006

Scottish Executive

Child Care

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) nursery, (b) playgroup and (c) day care providers charged a fee to make up the difference between the money received from the Executive to fund provision for three and four-year-olds and the cost of provision in each year since 1999.

Robert Brown: The information requested is not held centrally.

Children and Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27082 by Robert Brown on 14 July 2006, whether it will provide "receipt based" statistics on the number of referrals to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration under section 52(2)(j) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 in each year from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 and whether it will provide "disposal based" statistics for 2004-05.

Robert Brown: The basis for recording referrals to the Children’s Reporter prior to 2003-04 was disposal-based and therefore receipt-based statistics for referrals prior to this are not available. For 2003-04 the receipt-based count of grounds for children referred to the Children’s Reporter under section 52(2)(j) of the Children (Scotland) Act was 1847.

  For 2004-05 the disposal-based count of grounds for children referred to the Children’s Reporter under section 52(2)(j) of the Children (Scotland) Act was 1,540.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of sheriff court convictions of women were in respect of any offence related to misuse of (a) alcohol and (b) drugs in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by sheriff court.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table:

  Women with a Charge Proved in Scottish Sheriff Courts for Drug and Alcohol Related Offences1, 2002-03 to 2004-05, Expressed as a Percentage of the Total Number of Women with a Charge Proved for All Offences in Each Sheriff Court

  

 Sheriff Court
 Drug Related Offences2
 Alcohol Related Offences3


 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 Aberdeen 
 6.7
 6.6
 8.1
 9.3
 10.7
 11.8


 Airdrie 
 4.1
 6.1
 3.7
 7.6
 8.3
 10.8


 Alloa 
 6.8
 11.6
 7.5
 5.3
 5.1
 3.5


 Arbroath 
 4.0
 2.5
 3.1
 6.0
 9.5
 14.1


 Ayr 
 4.8
 7.0
 4.3
 6.8
 5.4
 7.9


 Banff 
 9.0
 11.8
 7.7
 20.5
 6.5
 9.6


 Campbeltown 
 15.8
 2.9
 0.0
 10.5
 11.8
 21.2


 Cupar 
 4.6
 1.4
 3.2
 21.1
 21.9
 18.9


 Dingwall 
 1.9
 8.5
 3.2
 9.6
 12.8
 25.8


 Dornoch 
 12.5
 8.7
 0.0
 12.5
 21.7
 33.3


 Dumbarton 
 6.3
 4.9
 9.9
 18.9
 11.8
 13.1


 Dumfries 
 3.4
 3.0
 1.4
 3.8
 3.0
 5.3


 Dundee 
 4.3
 3.3
 4.3
 5.6
 6.7
 7.2


 Dunfermline 
 2.4
 1.8
 1.9
 14.7
 8.9
 9.3


 Dunoon 
 7.1
 10.0
 0.0
 16.7
 18.0
 25.7


 Duns 
 0.0
 8.8
 2.1
 16.1
 17.6
 10.6


 Edinburgh 
 4.0
 4.9
 8.3
 9.4
 8.6
 9.6


 Elgin 
 1.2
 4.4
 6.6
 11.7
 9.8
 13.1


 Falkirk 
 5.5
 7.5
 3.1
 12.1
 5.9
 9.1


 Forfar 
 3.2
 1.7
 2.0
 6.4
 3.3
 13.3


 Fort William 
 9.3
 6.7
 5.6
 18.6
 30.0
 2.8


 Glasgow 
 12.3
 13.8
 14.3
 9.0
 4.0
 1.9


 Greenock 
 9.4
 15.1
 11.9
 9.0
 5.4
 6.8


 Haddington 
 1.3
 1.6
 9.4
 14.1
 18.5
 20.5


 Hamilton 
 6.0
 3.1
 6.7
 10.2
 6.7
 7.7


 Inverness 
 4.6
 4.8
 5.6
 14.2
 14.5
 11.6


 Jedburgh 
 1.3
 1.2
 2.9
 6.4
 8.3
 3.8


 Kilmarnock 
 6.9
 10.1
 7.7
 6.9
 5.8
 7.0


 Kirkcaldy 
 3.3
 3.7
 3.5
 12.2
 7.0
 7.4


 Kirkcudbright
 0.0
 0.0
 6.1
 15.6
 19.5
 12.1


 Kirkwall 
 4.8
 16.7
 3.7
 28.6
 27.8
 29.6


 Lanark 
 3.3
 1.0
 8.3
 10.7
 10.3
 7.3


 Lerwick 
 6.7
 4.0
 4.2
 26.7
 16.0
 14.6


 Linlithgow 
 1.0
 1.9
 4.3
 18.1
 12.2
 12.9


 Lochmaddy 
 50.0
 0.0
 0.0
 50.0
 50.0
 37.5


 Oban 
 10.8
 5.8
 15.4
 13.5
 17.3
 3.8


 Paisley 
 2.4
 4.0
 4.3
 14.4
 6.8
 7.7


 Peebles 
 0.0
 4.5
 4.3
 10.7
 13.6
 4.3


 Perth 
 13.6
 7.7
 11.1
 16.1
 11.8
 10.8


 Peterhead 
 7.7
 14.7
 15.6
 11.5
 8.6
 13.1


 Portree 
 20.0
 14.3
 0.0
 30.0
 21.4
 16.7


 Rothesay 
 0.0
 4.8
 13.6
 26.7
 19.0
 4.5


 Selkirk 
 2.2
 1.3
 5.7
 8.7
 18.7
 4.8


 Stirling 
 4.4
 6.2
 6.2
 12.2
 6.8
 7.6


 Stonehaven 
 2.0
 0.0
 0.0
 18.0
 16.2
 39.6


 Stornoway 
 9.4
 0.0
 0.0
 28.1
 8.7
 24.0


 Stranraer 
 8.0
 12.4
 7.5
 8.0
 5.0
 7.5


 Tain 
 14.0
 7.6
 13.2
 5.3
 2.5
 9.2


 Wick 
 3.6
 2.2
 0.0
 10.9
 6.5
 26.2


 Scotland
 5.7
 6.4
 7.0
 10.5
 8.2
 8.9



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Identifiable drugs related offences included in the table include: Illegal importation of drugs; production, manufacture or cultivation of drugs; supply and possession with intent to supply; possession of drugs, and money laundering related offences.

  3. Identifiable alcohol related offences included in the table include: drunkenness; offences by licensed persons; other offences against liquor licensing laws; consumption of alcohol in designated places where byelaws prohibit; being drunk while riding a bicycle, and drunk driving.

Home Energy Conservation Act 1995

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the fourth Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report for Scotland will be published.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

  Her response is as follows:

  
The fourth Home Energy Conservation Act Report for Scotland will be published during the first quarter of 2007.

Home Energy Conservation Act 1995

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the deadline was for local authorities to report their progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

  Her response is as follows:

  
Local authorities were requested to submit their progress reports by 31 March 2006.

Home Energy Conservation Act 1995

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers are at its disposal to compel local authorities that have not yet reported their progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland to do so.

Johann Lamont: Under the terms of the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995, local authorities are provided with a timetable to prepare, publish and send to the Scottish Executive their progress report, which must be complied with as a matter of law. Ultimately this could be enforced through the courts.

Home Energy Conservation Act 1995

Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking against local authorities that have not yet reported their progress under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 to Communities Scotland.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

  Her response is as follows:

  
All local authorities have either submitted their progress report or have provided a date by which their report will be submitted.
Communities Scotland officials monitor and keep the situation under review on an on-going basis.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19410 by Cathy Jamieson on 29 September 2005, how many offences of (a) perjury, (b) resisting arrest and (c) wasting police time and how many bail offences other than absconding and re-offending were committed in (i)1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 2004 and (iv) 2005, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following tables. Figures for 2005 will be available following the publication of the statistical bulletin Recorded Crime in Scotland, 2005-06  in September.

  Selected Crimes Recorded by the Police in Scotland, by Police Force Area, 1997

  

 
 Central
 Dumfries and Galloway
 Fife
 Grampian
 Lothian and Borders
 Northern
 Strathclyde
 Tayside
 Scotland


 Public mischief (inc wasting police time)
 80
 31
 63
 68
 123
 57
 2,928
 315
 3,665


 Resisting arrest
 278
 157
 308
 466
 669
 324
 3,394
 368
 5,964


 Bail offences other than absconding/re-offending
 67
 5
 19
 42
 134
 17
 173
 244
 701


 Perjury and subordination
 2
 8
 0
 4
 3
 0
 8
 2
 27



  Selected Crimes Recorded by the Police in Scotland, by Police Force Area, 1998

  

 
 Central
 Dumfries and Galloway
 Fife
 Grampian
 Lothian and Borders
 Northern
 Strathclyde
 Tayside
 Scotland


 Public mischief (inc wasting police time)
 65
 24
 56
 74
 151
 35
 2,893
 326
 3,624


 Resisting arrest
 271
 181
 305
 442
 557
 236
 3,034
 359
 5,385


 Bail offences other than absconding/re-offending
 146
 5
 70
 77
 185
 16
 537
 294
 1,330


 Perjury and subordination
 2
 2
 3
 9
 6
 3
 9
 1
 35



  Selected Crimes Recorded by the Police in Scotland, by Police Force Area, 2004

  

 
 Central
 Dumfries and Galloway
 Fife
 Grampian
 Lothian and Borders
 Northern
 Strathclyde
 Tayside
 Scotland


 Public mischief (inc wasting police time)
 80
 48
 106
 123
 161
 60
 332
 297
 1,207


 Resisting arrest
 433
 194
 423
 449
 856
 345
 3,933
 398
 7,031


 Bail offences other than absconding/re-offending
 692
 81
 390
 372
 853
 152
 2661
 1885
 7,086


 Perjury and subordination
 5
 1
 1
 4
 5
 2
 14
 1
 33



  The category of "bail offences other than absconding/re-offending" relates to breaches of conditions of bail. The increase in this category reflects an increase in the granting (and enforcement of) additional bail conditions in order to provide safeguards over and above the standard bail conditions (for example: exclusions from an area/address in domestic abuse cases, curfew orders and electronic monitoring as a condition of bail). The number of these crimes has been increasing steadily over the last eight years.

Justice

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-26055 and S2W-26525 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 and 14 June 2006 respectively, what the reasons are for the discrepancies between the answers in respect of the number of convictions for rape in the last 10 years.

Cathy Jamieson: The figures given in the answer to question S2W-26055 on 1 June 2006, were on the basis of year of conviction or acquittal whereas those given in the answer to question S2W-26525 on 14 June 2006, were by year of sentence or acquittal. The small differences in the totals given therefore reflect cases where conviction was in one year but sentence was deferred to a later year. A police force area breakdown, consistent with the totals for convictions given in reply to question S2W-26525, is given in the following tables.

  Persons Prosecuted for Rape Offences1, by Police Force Area, 1996-97 to 2004-05

  

 Police Force Area
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 
 Number Proceeded Against
 
 
 
 


 Central 
 6
 3
 3
 10
 3
 1
 4
 1
 7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 1
 -
 3
 2
 2
 1
 2
 3


 Fife 
 5
 6
 16
 5
 2
 8
 7
 2
 10


 Grampian 
 10
 3
 9
 6
 2
 4
 4
 5
 6


 Lothian and Borders 
 15
 14
 14
 13
 14
 18
 14
 18
 20


 Northern 
 2
 3
 1
 3
 -
 3
 5
 3
 8


 Strathclyde 
 33
 26
 18
 13
 24
 24
 19
 34
 28


 Tayside 
 6
 5
 5
 2
 5
 7
 4
 12
 6


 Scotland2
 78
 61
 66
 55
 52
 67
 58
 78
 88


 
 Number with a Charge Proved
 
 
 
 


 Central 
 2
 -
 3
 2
 1
 -
 2
 1
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 1
 -
 1
 2
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Fife 
 1
 4
 10
 1
 1
 5
 5
 1
 9


 Grampian 
 6
 -
 5
 5
 1
 2
 2
 2
 3


 Lothian and Borders 
 4
 9
 5
 7
 9
 11
 7
 8
 10


 Northern 
 -
 2
 1
 3
 -
 3
 4
 2
 3


 Strathclyde 
 17
 10
 12
 8
 11
 20
 14
 16
 13


 Tayside 
 4
 4
 1
 -
 3
 3
 2
 6
 2


 Scotland2
 35
 30
 37
 27
 28
 45
 37
 36
 41



  Persons Prosecuted for Attempted Rape1, by Police Force Area, 1996-97 to 2004-05

  

 Police Force Area
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 
 Number Proceeded Against
 
 
 
 


 Central 
 3
 1
 1
 2
 1
 2
 2
 2
 2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Fife 
 3
 6
 1
 6
 4
 5
 2
 1
 2


 Grampian 
 2
 1
 2
 3
 -
 2
 3
 1
 4


 Lothian and Borders 
 5
 8
 2
 5
 5
 7
 3
 5
 3


 Northern 
 1
 3
 2
 1
 1
 -
 -
 1
 3


 Strathclyde 
 13
 14
 15
 7
 14
 11
 6
 15
 6


 Tayside 
 4
 6
 7
 6
 3
 4
 4
 3
 4


 Scotland2
 31
 40
 30
 31
 29
 31
 21
 28
 24


 
 Number with a Charge Proved
 
 
 
 


 Central 
 3
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 2
 1
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Fife 
 3
 5
 -
 3
 4
 2
 1
 1
 2


 Grampian 
 1
 1
 -
 2
 -
 1
 1
 1
 3


 Lothian and Borders 
 4
 3
 1
 5
 4
 7
 2
 3
 3


 Northern 
 1
 2
 1
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 3


 Strathclyde 
 8
 8
 12
 5
 11
 10
 6
 9
 6


 Tayside 
 2
 4
 7
 4
 3
 1
 3
 2
 3


 Scotland2
 22
 25
 21
 21
 24
 21
 16
 18
 21



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Includes a small number of cases where police force area is unknown.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is carried out in respect of the number of discharged prisoners who are homeless and the period of time that they remain homeless.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  
At the beginning of a prisoner’s sentence accommodation needs including homelessness are identified. Prior to release prisoners with identified needs are seen and advised on accommodation issues by a housing worker, generally funded under the rough sleepers initiative.
The SPS monitor the number of prisoners discharged by measuring: "the numbers of prisoners that leave having secured accommodation or that have been referred to the relevant housing provider". Recent records indicate that from the 3,334 liberations in the period April 2006 to June 2006, 3,040 prisoners left custody with secured accommodation and 292 with an appointment to meet with their housing advisor.
The SPS do not monitor the period of time that a prisoner remains homeless whilst in the community.

Scottish Executive

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official complaints it has made to the BBC in each year since 1999 regarding its broadcast output in Scotland and to which programmes these complaints related.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official complaints it has made to broadcasters in Scotland, other than the BBC, regarding broadcast output in each year since 1999.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official complaints it has made to Scottish daily and weekend newspapers or Scottish edition newspapers in each year since 1999, broken down by publication.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many official complaints it has made to broadcasters and print media outwith Scotland regarding coverage of Executive policy in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not available. The Scottish Executive does not maintain a comprehensive record of all exchanges with media organisations.

Sexual Offences

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26055 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 June 2006, how many of the charges proven in cases where rape was the main offence were for rape and not a lesser offence.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information, consistent with the numbers of convictions for rape given in reply to question S2W-27511 answered on 18 August 2006, is given in the following table.

  Persons with a Charge Proved for Rape1: Total Number of Charges of Rape which were Proved, by Police Force Area, 1996-97 to 2004-05

  

 Police Force Area
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05


 
 Number of Convictions
 
 
 
 


 Central 
 2
 -
 3
 2
 1
 -
 2
 1
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 1
 -
 1
 2
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Fife 
 1
 4
 10
 1
 1
 5
 5
 1
 9


 Grampian 
 6
 -
 5
 5
 1
 2
 2
 2
 3


 Lothian and Borders 
 4
 9
 5
 7
 9
 11
 7
 8
 10


 Northern 
 -
 2
 1
 3
 -
 3
 4
 2
 3


 Strathclyde 
 17
 10
 12
 8
 11
 20
 14
 16
 13


 Tayside 
 4
 4
 1
 -
 3
 3
 2
 6
 2


 Scotland
 35
 30
 37
 27
 28
 45
 37
 36
 41


 
 Number of Individual Charges of Rape Proved
 
 
 


 Central 
 2
 -
 3
 3
 1
 -
 3
 1
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 1
 -
 1
 2
 2
 1
 -
 -


 Fife 
 1
 4
 12
 1
 1
 5
 7
 1
 12


 Grampian 
 6
 -
 8
 5
 2
 2
 2
 2
 4


 Lothian and Borders 
 5
 12
 6
 12
 9
 13
 8
 9
 12


 Northern 
 -
 2
 1
 3
 -
 7
 5
 2
 3


 Strathclyde 
 21
 11
 15
 11
 13
 26
 17
 20
 15


 Tayside 
 6
 4
 1
 -
 4
 4
 2
 7
 2


 Scotland
 42
 34
 46
 36
 32
 59
 45
 42
 49



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Sexual Offences

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) recorded cases of, (b) prosecutions for and (c) convictions for sexual attacks against men there have been in each year since 1996, broken down by offence.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not available as the statistics collected centrally on recorded crime, prosecutions and convictions do not identify victim characteristics unless this is implied by the specific charge involved.

Young Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it will commit to ensure that the number of persistent young offenders does not increase next year.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is funding a range of activity to prevent and address youth crime and disorder to the extent of £63 million this year, this having increased from a £3.5 million baseline in 2001.

  Details of the Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) are set out in Grant Aided Expenditure (the Green Book) for each financial year and these are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39230).

  Local authorities have the discretion and flexibility to distribute resources within the core settlement to meet local needs and priorities. The total Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) is £9 billion in 2006-07, and £9.2 billion in 2007-08. The GAE figures are used to distribute grant to local authorities on the basis of need.

  Other resources allocated by the Scottish Executive include around £57 million from the Sure Start programme which is intended to provide more integrated services for our most vulnerable children and families and the Changing Children’s Services Fund which will provide over £65 million to support the modernisation and integration of services for children. From this year, £15 million from the Changing Children’s Services Fund will be included in GAE with a further transfer of £20 million from 2007-08.

  It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate its total resources to meet local needs and priorities.

Young Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures its own performance in tackling the rising trend of persistent young offending.

Cathy Jamieson: On 11 July 2006, the Scottish Executive published a summary report outlining progress to March 2006 on the completion of the 10-point Action Plan on Youth Crime and achievements against National Standards for Scotland’s Youth Justice Services, including reporting against persistent young offender reduction target. A copy of this report has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 40122).